Liquid extractor for filamentary material



Dec. 17, 1957 R. R. SMITH 2,8

LIQUID EXTRACTOR FOR F ILAMENTARY MATERIAL Filed May 17, 1955 United rates Patent LIQUID EXTRACTOR FOR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL Robert R. Smith, Wilmington, Del., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application May 17, 1955, Serial No. 508,941

8 Claims. (Cl. 68-244) ing excess liquid from traveling filamentary material.

In preparing yarns of natural or artificial nature for commercial use, the yarn is generally subjected to various finishing operations wherein the yarn is passed through a variety of treating baths such as bleaching, washing and sizing baths. As the yarn emerges from each of the different composition treating baths, it is necessary to extract any excess or residual liquid remaining in the yarn before it passes to additional processing baths or stations to prevent the contamination of the remaining baths. With prior centrifugal extractors for removing excess liquid from traveling filamentary material between processing stages, ditliculty has been encountered in that the liquidalready removed from the yarn is not drawn away from the yarn path on the extractor at a fast enough rate. A portion of the removed liquid is thereby picked up or reabsorbed by subsequent sections of the yarn traveling over the extractor.

I It is therefore one object of my invention to provide a novel and improved centrifugal extractor for rapidly removing excess or residual liquid from liquid-laden filamentary material.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved and novel liquid extractor for liquid-laden yarn wherein an air suction stream is created adjacent the path of the yarn which stream rapidly carries away the liquid as it is expressed from the yarn.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide in, an apparatus of the above object expressing means for expressing liquid from the yarn and for rapidly drawing the removed liquid from the area of the path of travel of the yarn.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent from a study of the following description and drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front schematic view partially in section of the liquid extractor for filamentary material;

Figure 2 is a section taken along lines II, II of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of a modification of the extractor of Figures 1 and 2.

Briefly, my invention comprises a rotatable yarn bearing surface which supports a pair of opposed flanges. Within each flange, there are a plurality of enclosed and narrow channels which originate and extend from uniformly spaced points at the flange center outwardly therefrom through the body of the flange and the flange periphery. An air flow is created within each of the enclosed flange channels due to the centrifugal force created when the yarn bearing surface is rotated whereby a suction is set up within the enclosed channels in 213 direction away from the flange center. A liquid expressing or squeegee roller is mounted so that it extends between the opposing flanges with its periphery in contact with the yarn bearing surface and cooperates with ice the surface to express liquid from a yarn traveling between the roller and the yarn bearing surface and to quickly transfer the removed liquid away from the path of travel of the yarn over the extractor. By virtue of the suction created within the channels, the liquid is rapidly conveyed through the enclosed channels and is expelled therefrom at the peripheries of the flanges. A suitable water collecting housing is positioned over each flange to collect the water as it is expelled from the channels. My invention also'includes an embodiment of the above described apparatus.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the yarn liquid extractor A comprises opposed flanges 1 and 2 having central openings therethrough by which the flanges are supported at opposite ends of a rotatable yarn bearing surface 5, preferably of cylindrical shape as shown, by keys 3, 3. The yarn bearing surface 5 is made of Bakelite or other suitable plastic material which is resistant to the etching action of chemicals which may be included in the yarn treating baths. The rotatable surface 5 is supported by rotatable shafts 6, 6 in suitable bearing supports (not shown). Each flange member is formed from a pair of centrally apertured plates b and c of circular shape and constructed of a similar material to that of the surface 5. A plurality of grooves 8, 8 (Figure 2) are cut into one face of each plate b, b. The grooves 8, 8 extend from uniformly spaced points around the plate centers and extend outwardly through the plate bodies and the plate peripheries. Each pair of plates 12 and c are bolted or otherwise secured together as by screws 21 with the grooved side of plates b, b facing the flat surface of plates 0, 0. With this arrangement, a series of narrow enclosed channels 9, 9 (Figure 1) are formed within the flanges 1 and 2 which enclosed channels open onto the yarn bearing surface and which originate and extend from uniformly spaced points at the flange centers outwardly therefrom to and through the flange peripheries. Preferably the grooves 8, 8 are curved in the manner shown in Figure 2 whereby the ends of the channels adjacent the yarn bearing 5 will scoop or pick up air as the extractor rotates.

The flanges 1 and 2 are undercut at their bases through each opposing plate b, b to form opposing canals 10, 10 adjacent and around the periphery of the yarn bearing surface 5. The canals lead directly into the enclosed channels 9, 9.

When the extractor A is rotated, a centrifugal air flow is set up within the enclosed channels 9, 9 of the flanges 1 and 2 to form a suction path therethrough. The air flow or suction initiates through the canals 10, 10 and passes outwardly through the channels 9, 9 and through the'peripheries of the flanges.

An expressing or squeegee roller 12, preferably of India rubber, is mounted on a shaft 13 supported below the extractor A. The squeegee roller extends between the inner faces of the opposing flanges 1 and 2 with its periphery in pressing contact with the surface of hub 5. The filamentary material or yarn F from which water or other liquid is to be extracted is continuously drawn or pulled through the nip formed by the surface of hub 5 and the periphery of the roller 12. The roller 12 and the hub 5 including the flanges 1 and 2 secured thereto are all rotated by the yarn traveling through the nip formed by the hub and the roller. The roller 12 urges the yarn against the hub surface thus expressing the liquid from the yarn and, at the same time, quickly transfers the liquid toward and into the canals 10, 1!

Suitable water collecting housings 15 and 16 are positioned around the opposing flanges 1 and 2 respectively to collect, as will be explained hereinafter, the Water or other .liquidextracted .from .the. yarntravelingbetween The extractor A iszcapable of: hafidllngi approximately 1 241 meters 'of yarn :perrrninute; theyR; P.':M. atrthis-irate ofyarnfeedxbeing approxin1ately 500;R: P: M.-;As,'the= extractor A: rotates; :an air flow or suction. is. set up Within -the enclosed channels 9, 9 :and :-the:;canalsri10,- -10. The liquid being continuously: expressed from the .yarnwby'tthe roller 12 is rapidly transferred or .drivennto .tthemcanals 5:10', by the squeegee roller; 12. ,The-asuctionrereated within th'e enclosed channels 9, 9. through the centrifugal force created by: rotation of .the zextractordraws the liquid from' the canals 'lfi, 10:?and intoaand through the -enclosed channels 9, 9. Withwthis;arrangement;ithe liquid -is rapidly-passed fromnthe .canalsfilfl, Z10 iand -wthrough the:enclosed channels 9, 9. The liquidisexpelledfrom thechannels ati'the. flange peripheries and. is collected in mthea-liquid collecting housings :15 and 16. Thev liquid is discharged from the. housings .15 .and 16: through'drains B and-"20. Substantially all of residualliquid within the yarn can be efiiciently and quickly removed.

'-1.As seen in Figure -1 of the drawing,'the ;opposing faces I; 'of' the'plates b and ed e'achflange li and '2 arepreferably forrried so that they :cant outwardly away from-the surface 5 as they extendfltherefrom. Suchan-arrangement -perrnits easy threading of the yarn through the extractor and alsoprovidesincreased air space between'the flanges 1-and 2whereby. better air circulation isefiected thereibetweeen.

If desired, 'and as shown in Figure .3, the squeegee roller '12 may be omitted. Theflanges are moved as closevtogether as: possible .and .the traveling yarn F assumes a' downward: pathwon either side of the cylin- -drical surface 5. With this arrangement, the yarn will :..be1pressed against the surface 5 as it travels thereover to express the liquid from the yarn-and to drive or rotate "the. surface 5'. The filamentary material bearing surface 5.,.=.in this1instance,.has a recessed guide surface G through *which :the filamentary material travels. The walls of the irecess tor.groove. G taper: inwardly. from spaced apart points along the surface 5' to meet at a central point f' whereby the liquid. removed: from the-yarn will travel out- =.wva'rdly'ialong:the walls: :of the recessEG, along the-sur-' E' Aface SfJandaintQ the; canals 14),10 from which it is drawn through the enclosed channels 9, 9 in.the manner described above.

i ilt'sh'ould':be pointed-out that theliquid to be expelled w from the moisture-laden yarn being processed amounts '.:.t0 approxirnately .of the total capacity of the enclosed l channels. ::Since athe .expelledliquid cannot meet the :z idemand-rcapacity {of the enclosed channels, "the expelled liquid intermittently passes: through the channels in globule'ondrop'letform. :Inview of the above condition, -;Lwthe.'suction force setup. .within the channels through the ii'centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the flanges is :-:present whenthe air alone is passing through the channels ifil'ldflWhEl'l both the air; and the liquid droplets. are passaingthroughtthe channels. The liquid droplets which pass through a. channelact as a pump pistonito'draw. addi- .i'tioiial *liquidor airinto the channel.

Itishould be understood that the channels9, 9 may 'extendar-adially from the hubs of the flanges .ratherthan in the curvedxformation as describedabove and shown in the drawings.

Since the above. described apparatus has a minimum of wmoving'parts and is of simple construction it'may. easily beincludedwith various types of continuous artificial -y'arn producing machines or continuous "yarn-' 'tr'eating apparatus "without interfering with the other? elements "inthe' spinning machine orappa'ratus.

7 over, said. surface being driven by the material traveling ".thereover, a pair of opposing flanges permanentlysupported by the rotatable surface, and enclosed channels within each flange which open upon the filamentary material bearing surface, which channels originate at uniformly spaced points at the flange centers and extend outwardly to and through the flange peripheries, whereby when the surface is rotated, a centrifugal air flow or .suction is created within the enclosed channels in a mdirection away from the filamentary material bearing surface, said suction acting to draw'the liquid removed from the filamentary material through the channels.

.2. An apparatus for extracting liquid from liquidladen filamentary material comprising a rotatable filamentary material bearing surface for removing liquid from filamentary material traveling thereover, said surface being rotated by the filamentary material traveling thereover, opposed flanges fixedly supported by the ma- "-'terial bearing surface, a plurality of enclosed channels within each flange which open upon the material bearing surface, "which channels originate at uniformly spaced points at the flange centers and extend outwardly to and through the flange peripheries,'and canals undercut into and around the base of the opposing face of each flange 1 whereby when the bearing surface is rotated, a centrifugal flow of air or suction is created within the enclosed chan- 1 nels in a direction away from the surface, said suction acting to draw liquid into the canals wherein it is I first collected as it is removed from the filamentary material.

3. A centrifugal extractor according to claim 2 comprising an expressing roll extending between the opposing flanges with its periphery in contact with the filamentary material bearing surface for expressing liquid from a yarn traveling between the surface and the expressing roll periphery and to drive the liquid into the canals.

4.- A centrifugal extractor according to claim 2 wherein the filamentary material bearing surface comprises a surface of general cylindrical shape.

5;A liquid extractor for extracting liquid from a liquid-laden yarn according to 'claim 1 wherein each flange comprises a pair of opposed plates, and one of the platesofe'ach flange has a plurality of grooves cut-into the face thereof, whereby enclosed channels '-are-formed in the flanges.

6. An apparatus forextracting liquid from a traveling liquid-laden filamentary material. according to claim 5 wherein the grooves' comprise curved grooves.

7. An apparatus for extracting-liquid from a traveling liquid-l aden yarn accordingto *claim- 5 wherein the groovescomprise straight grooves.

- 81 A centrifugal-extractor according to claim 4 wherein the rotatable filamentary material bearing surface-"of general-cylindrical shape has formed thereina recessed guide surface for the fllamentarymaterial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

